


A Galaxy Without You

by YourLocalPriestess



Category: Mass Effect, Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: F/F, angstttttttttttttt, but in my hc shep still dead when hyperion leaves, i'm not sure if this is correct, minor spoilers for Andromeda, set pre-me2, soooooo, specifically the Alec's memories mission, suuuuper light spoilers though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-19
Updated: 2017-04-19
Packaged: 2018-10-21 02:57:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10676259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YourLocalPriestess/pseuds/YourLocalPriestess
Summary: Liara gets an unexpected message while settling into her new role as information broker on Illium.





	A Galaxy Without You

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the MEFFW Drabble challenge: Get Away
> 
> Then, I started playing Andromeda, and this happened.

Liara was barely through the door, ordering movers in various directions, when Nyxeris approached her.

“You have a new voice message at your terminal Dr. T’Soni.”

She pursed her lips. “Thank you, Nyxeris.” She fought a sigh as she made her way to her newly placed desk. She would have to talk to the girl about timing before too long.

The message flashed bright orange, the light flooding over her bare desk. She frowned as she opened the window. _Alec Ryder_. She pressed play.

“This is a message for Dr. Liara T’Soni,” the low, gravelly voice began. “My name is Alec Ryder. My partner and I are in the process of pulling together resources for the Andromeda Initiative. If you haven’t heard of us, we are a team setting out to explore and colonize the Andromeda galaxy. Your knowledge of the protheans could be invaluable to us on our journey. It may even help us understand new and unknown alien races there. Please contact me as soon as you can.”

Liara blinked at the screen. She tried to swallow, her mouth suddenly tasting of sandpaper, and played the message again.

She was on the fifth loop of the message when Nyxeris approached again. “Dr. T’Soni?”

She jumped and clutched at her chest. “Goddess! You scared me.” She shot a furtive glance to her and back to the screen.

The younger asari frowned. “What’s troubling you?”

“It’s nothing,” Liara sighed, plastering a smile onto her face. “Just an unexpected message.”

She frowned. “Alright. Well, I need your help organizing my terminal, when you have a moment.”

“Of course,” she smiled. “I’m sending a reply, then I will join you.”

Nyxeris nodded as she turned away. Liara huffed out a breath and frowned at the confounding message. She’d heard whispers of whispers of an organization setting forth on this unlikely adventure. In reality, it seemed improbable at best, albeit fascinating. But she never expected they would be leaving so soon, nor that they would ever reach out to her. She wasn’t sure whether to feel touched or terrified. She wasn’t even fully sure what this Ryder was asking her to do.

Without further hesitation, she opened a new message and began dragging her files on protheans into the folder. Once that was done, she took a deep breath and leaned in.

“Hello Alec – This is Dr. T’Soni. I’m flattered you contacted me. Most scientists dismiss my work.” She smiled, even though it wouldn’t be seen. “But I’m young and asari, and they are getting older, so we will see who has the final word.”  She let out a soft chuckle. “In the meantime, I am happy to pass along my research. I hope your team finds it useful.”

She stopped the recording, blew out a sigh of relief, and pressed send as she straightened from her hunched position. She took a calming breath. No time to worry about intergalactic travel now. There was work to be done.

“What did you need help with Nyxeris?”

           

The next message from Alec Ryder came a month later, late at night, while she sat alone at her desk sorting through information cashes. The arrival of the new message washed everything in orange. She clicked on it absently, assuming it was one of her own agents, and pressed play while she continued her reading.

“Dr. T’Soni.”

Liara froze. She recognized that gravelly tone. She’d only heard it a few hundred times, played in her own head when she was alone and couldn’t stop herself.

“While I appreciate the information you’ve shared, I had a different proposition in mind,” he continued, ignoring her surprise. “Your abilities and knowledge would be a priceless asset to our research team. I’m aware of how daunting that sounds, picking up and leaving for an unknown galaxy, but that is precisely why I reached out to you. Imagine being on the frontier of entire new worlds, the first to study and understand new races and their cultures. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime.” There was a wavering silence so long that Liara reached out to play the message again, but he continued. “You’ve been through a lot here doctor, between the battle of the Citadel and losing your commanding officer. This is a chance to get away, from everything. A chance for a fresh start. I don’t mean to overstep, but I know there is more to your life than science. Please contact me with your answer as soon as you’re able.”

The oxygen drained from her lungs in one quick burst, like she’d been tossed into a wall. She tried to take a breath and only managed shuddering gulps as startled tears filled her eyes.

Shepard. Her life and death mentioned so casually, another stepping stone toward leaving in his eyes. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. She pictured Shepard, holding her in bed and pressing kisses all over her body. She pictured Shepard, a charred, frozen shell, as she passed her over to Cerberus, to her one last chance.

She clenched her fists and wiped furiously at the tears in her eyes. She opened a new message and swallowed before pressing record. “Hello Alec. I received your message.” Her voice sounded light, calm, despite her shaking hands. “I must say, the thought of exploring a new galaxy has my head spinning.” A deep breath. “I am honestly not sure how people could survive a trip like that. And anyway, I couldn’t bear to leave the Milky Way behind.”

 _I couldn’t bear to leave her behind_. _Not yet._

She forced a smile onto her face so it would infect her voice. “There is so much about the protheans I still hope to learn here, so much potential wisdom to tap. I wish you much good luck and future success.”

She hit send. As tears finally spilled down her cheeks, she tried to squash any lingering doubt, any seedlings of regret.

Any galaxy without Shepard was an empty one.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! You are sunshine! Any comments, kudos, or what-have-yous are appreciated <3


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